- 1 a quantity or thickness of something that lies over a surface or between surfaces A thin layer of dust covered everything. How many layers of clothing are you wearing? Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivefine, thin, deep, … verb + layerform, add, apply, … layer + nouncake prepositionbeneath a/the layer, under a/the layer, in layers, … phraseslayer after layer, layer upon layer See full entry
- 2 a level or part within a system or set of ideas There were too many layers of management in the company. the layers of meaning in the poem Word OriginMiddle English (denoting a mason): from lay (verb) + -er. The sense ‘stratum of material covering a surface’ (early 17th cent.) may represent a different spelling of an obsolete agricultural use of lair denoting quality of soil.Extra examples Beneath the surface layer of the skin are several further layers. Everything was covered with a fine layer of dust. He paints a base coat, allows it to dry, and then adds layers of paint. I decided to peel back the layers of this story. Mulch with a generous layer of peat or compost. The body had been covered with a thin layer of soil. The building is constructed in layers. The product is made from a single layer of plastic. The recipe calls for alternating layers of meat sauce and pasta. The remains lay buried under layer upon layer of black earth. They put on thick hats and extra layers of clothing. Use enough gravel to form a layer about 50mm thick. We’re flying just below a cloud layer at 33 000 feet. a layer of bureaucracy a protective layer of black plastic an extra layer of clothing holes in the ozone layer multiple layers of meaning the upper layers of the earth’s atmosphere Brush each layer of filo pastry with melted butter. The channel became silted up with layer upon layer of sludge. The dessert is chocolate mousse between layers of coffee and chocolate sponge. This provides the waterproof top layer of the roof. You’ll need to wear extra layers of clothing.
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